The polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottle resin market has been growing strongly as PET resins have replaced glass in carbonated soft drink, bottled water and food containers.
Dimethyl terephthalate (DMT) is primarily used in the manufacture of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) for fiber, film, container plastics, and specialty plastics applications.
The largest polyester sector is the fibers market where it is used to make clothes, home textiles such as sheets and curtains, carpets and rugs, and industrial products such as tire cord, seat belts, hoses and ropes. PET film is utilized in electrical applications such as dielectric metal foil capacitors and for food packaging.
The growth in polyester has not been converted into DMT demand. For most grades of polyester used in textiles and food and beverage containers, it is more economical to use purified terephthalic acid rather than DMT.